'ALLOT' more people want allotments in Loughborough and now calls are being made to increase them, and make them permanent sites.

Due to the renewed interest in 'grow your own' the waiting list for plots is now 20 per cent larger now than 12 months ago.

Coun Peter Lewis is calling on Charnwood Borough Council to increase the number of allotments so more people can benefit from growing their own produce.

He told the Echo: "I'm looking to ask officers about increasing the amount of allotments in the borough so more than the current 100 people can benefit from them."

Kevin Pearson, who has had an allotment on the Great Central Road site in Loughborough for nearly four years says that for the past 18-months, holders have been requesting that the council reclassify their site as permanent instead of temporary, but says, as yet they have had no joy.

He said: "I believe it's important to preserve the allotments sites that we already have.

"Around 50 per cent of the sites in Loughborough are still classed as temporary - even the Great Central Road allotment, it's been on the same site for more than 60 years, but is still classed as temporary."

He added: "One does begin to worry that the council may have other plans for not only our site, but others that are still classed as temporary.

"We're all worried that our allotment will be taken from us, and because we're classed as temporary, the council can give us 12-months notice with no redress, no compensation and no alternative site."